RoboCup97: An omnidirectional perspective

Abstract

RoboCup-97 proved to be a major learning curve. At RMIT University we took up the challenge of trying to build the most suitable robot platform for playing robot soccer. We investigated existing platforms, examined their strengths and weaknesses, and related each design to the needs of actual soccer players. We determined a set of criteria that we believe defines the needs of soccer playing robots of the future. Armed with this knowledge we set out to design a robot chassis that fulfilled, or at least, had the potential to fulfil as many of the desirable attributes as we could. Our approach is a long term one. It is very difficult to innovate in all areas of robotics at once. Unlike virtually all other teams we took a ground up approach, developing a unique, ideally suited robot platform fLrst, giving a strong foundation to develop more sophisticated vision and control systems. The development of omnidirectional sphere based technology at RMIT has produced a very lightweight practical omnidirectional drive for applications requiring rapid re- sponse, robust construction and isotropic I maneuverability in an adversarial envi- ronment. The mechanism competed in the first world cup for Robot Soccer in Nagoya and won the inaugural Engineering Challenge award for innovation in design.